INTERVIEW: New Brunswick holiday celebration seeks ‘Common Ground’
Photo: Shanice Williams will appear as part of the Common Ground concert at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Photo courtesy of the artist / Provided by State Theatre with permission.
In December, so many different faith traditions and cultures celebrate the holidays in unique ways, and some of this seasonal positivity will be on display at a special concert Sunday, Dec. 16 at the State Theatre in New Brunswick. Common Ground, featuring the vocal talents of Shanice Williams and local music groups, is a co-presentation of the State Theatre and the nearby Crossroads Theatre Company.
Williams is an accomplished singer and actor. Her big break came when she appeared in the NBC adaptation of The Wiz, and she recently made her off-Broadway debut in Little Rock. Joining her on stage will be Jew Directions of Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple; R.A.D.I.C.A.L., a hip-hop dance troupe from Abundant Life Family Worship Church; JP Stevens South Asian Dance Troupe; Rutgers Liberated Gospel Choir; and The Body & Music School from Piscataway.
The 90-minute extravaganza, also featuring an appearance by New Brunswick Mayor Jim Cahill, will honor traditions and religious celebrations like Hanukkah, Diwali, Ramadan, Christmas and Kwanzaa.
Recently, Hollywood Soapbox spoke with Williams about her contributions to the afternoon concert. Here’s what she had to say …
On why she wanted to join the celebration …
“I think the biggest part is just that it’s a celebration of everyone’s holiday traditions, so no matter what you believe in and what you celebrate, you’re going to see a little bit of everything in the concert. I think that’s the most special part.”
On the songs she will sing throughout the show …
“I’m going to be singing ‘Home’ for sure, and me and the youth choir, we are going to be singing ‘Joy to the World.’ And then I might be singing another song that I don’t want to give away, but I’m not sure yet. …
“We’re going to have a rehearsal coming up the week of the show, so we’re going to be practicing to make sure everything is good and sounds good, and it’s ready to go.”
On her career so far and her aspirations for the future …
“There’s a lot more stuff that I want to do definitely. I want to do some more TV. I want to do some more film. Little Rock was my off-Broadway debut. I definitely would love to be on Broadway, but, you know, so far I just got to be thankful for all of the opportunities that I’ve had because it’s been a long ride. And I’m learning a lot.”
On loving to perform from a young age and her first audition …
“I was an only child. I was bored, and I wanted to entertain my family. My family would laugh, and they’d say, ‘Do that again,’ or, ‘Do this again.’ It just became something that I enjoyed, entertaining people and making people laugh. …
“[The Wiz] was my first audition that I ever did. That was crazy, so I went to the audition because I wanted to see what it was going to be like. And I went … did a good job, and they just kept on asking for me to come back. And I was like, ‘Yeah, of course.’ Then the final audition was in California. They flew me out to California, and I sung in front of Bob Greenblatt, the head of NBC, and all the directors, producers. … [Director] Kenny Leon told me that he wanted me to play Dorothy, and that was the beginning of my dreams.”
On whether she ever watches her past performances …
“I do get shy watching myself, definitely, even when it’s just something on YouTube, but I feel that’s an important part of being a performer. You have to see what you did and not be too hard on yourself, but you have to say, ‘OK, good job. I liked when I did that, or maybe next time we can work on this.’ You have to be able to grow from every performance, so I love when I get to watch myself perform and just focus on how to get better, or the days that worked and the days that didn’t work.”
On whether she like holiday music …
“I’ve been playing it since after Thanksgiving, so the day after Thanksgiving, I made my Christmas playlist on Tidal. And I’ve been playing my Christmas music all the time in the car. I watch The Grinch like every other night. I love the holiday season. I love it so much.”
On what the future holds for her career …
“You have to think about the future because sometimes you don’t know what’s going to happen, and that’s the joy of life. But, of course, I think about the future. What I think is most exciting about for me is my music. I’m making gospel music that will resonate with my generation, and I feel like I know what my generation likes to listen to. So I’m going to try to bring God to them in a different way, and I’m really excited about it. I let a few people hear my stuff. We’re just trying to figure out the best way to put it out, but that’s what I’m looking forward to in 2019. I’m really excited about that.”
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Common Ground, featuring Shanice Williams and local music groups, will be presented Sunday, Dec. 16 at 3 p.m. at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The event is co-sponsored by the State Theatre and Crossroads Theatre Company. Click here for more information and tickets.
